ELECTION DAY IN IRAQ

Election Day in Iraq has come to an end, and early reports seem to indicate a very good turnout.

Iraqis danced and clapped with joy Sunday as they voted in their country's first free election in a half-century, defying insurgents who launched eight suicide bombings and mortar strikes at polling stations. The attacks killed at least 36 people. Polling stations officially closed as of 5 p.m., but the election commission said anyone still in line would be allowed to vote. An Iraqi election official said that 72 percent of eligible Iraqi voters had turned out so far nationwide.
The official, Adel al-Lami of the Independent Electoral Commission, offered no overall figures of the actual number of Iraqis who have voted to back up the claim. After a slow start, men and women in flowing black abayas - often holding babies - formed long lines, although there were pockets of Iraq where the streets and polling stations were deserted. Iraqis prohibited from using private cars walked streets crowded in a few places nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with voters, hitched rides on military buses and trucks, and some even carried the elderly in their arms. "This is democracy," said Karfia Abbasi, holding up a thumb stained with purple ink to prove she had voted. Officials said turnout appeared higher than expected, although it was too soon to tell for sure. Iraqi officials have predicted that up to 8 million of the 14 million voters - just over 57 percent - would participate.

As I wrote in my previous post, anything over 50% is, in my view, outstanding. If it is anywhere near 72%, that would be better than any nation-wide U.S. election in recent history. A remarkable feat considering what voters were facing.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice believes the election is going well.

Iraq the Model is celebrating election day.

Instapundit, as usual, has a great round-up of posts about the Iraqi election.